No Holograms

July 13, 2012 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (II Corinthians 4:18) This scripture makes me think somewhat of holograms I have seen. These have been pictures that appear to be nothing discernable, but as you concentrate on either the light or dark areas, to your delight a clear image emerges; the mystery in the picture is no longer a mystery. Google’s definition of “hologram” is: “a photograph of an interference pattern that, when suitably illuminated, produces a three-dimensional image.” This past week our granddaughter e-mailed us a picture of a sonogram taken of her baby in her womb. She made no explanation but just said, “Another Justin.” We looked at the picture but it just looked like a big blob of something. We could not figure out the mystery. While still looking at the picture I called to ask her to explain. As I concentrated on the abstract lines the close-up picture of the baby’s face just seemed to jump out at me. Once I saw it, it became very real and even was three dimensional. It was all in how I looked at it. So I guess little Johnny’s sonogram picture on the computer is a hologram. This picture proves there is a real baby mysteriously hidden that will someday soon come forth and we can hold him. This picture is temporary and can easily be destroyed, but that baby is real and eternal. So until we can see Johnny with our eyes and hold him with our arms we will just have to enjoy this picture, knowing that the real will soon come to past, and he is eternal, even now. So it is with our spiritual eyes, since we are spiritual beings, created in the image of God, we should not focus on the things of this world, which are temporal, but we should focus on those things of the spirit, for they are eternal and will never go away. Heaven and hell are for real and our spirit being will spend eternity in either heaven, if we have accepted Christ, or hell, if we haven’t accepted Christ. The Word of God makes the picture clear, and that picture is of a born-again child of God who is destined for an eternity with God the Father and Jesus His Son. As we look deeply into the things promised in God’s Word, we can clearly see the distractions and the things here that are temporal, and the things that are eternal - when time shall be no more. On what are we focusing? Here is one man’s testimonial of his path to reality. Through Mr. Cox’s prayer of faith he could now see clearly the eternal things. The distorted, blurred and mysterious things (the temporal) were gone, and the eternal things now became real, and life was no longer a hologram. “It’s Real” (by H. L. Cox) Oh, how well do I remember how I doubted day by day, for I did not know for certain that my sins were washed away. When the Spirit tried to tell me, I would not the truth receive, I endeavored to be happy, and to make myself believe. When the truth came close and searching, all my joy would disappear, for I did not have the witness of the Spirit bright and clear. If at times the coming judgment would appear before my mind, oh, it made me so uneasy, for God’s smile I could not find. When the Lord sent faithful servants who would dare to preach the truth, how my heart did so condemn me as the Spirit gave reproof. Satan says at once, “I will ruin you to now confess your state, keep on working and professing, and you’ll enter heaven’s gate.” But at last I tired of living such a life of fear and doubt, for I wanted God to give me something I would know about. So the truth would make me happy, and the light would clearly shine, and the Spirit gave assurance that I’m His and He is mine. So I prayed to God in earnest, and not caring what folks said; I was hungry for the blessing; my poor soul it must be fed. When at last by faith I touched Him, and like sparks from smitten steel, just so quick salvation reached me; O bless God, I know it’s real! It’s real, it’s real, oh, I know it’s real. Praise God, the doubts are settled, for I know, I know it’s real!